Illusion of the Morning Star

written by: Gina Biggs  &  A.N.Ferguson
site: http://secondlight.animehunters.com/
contact: secondlight@animehunters.com
date completed: 1997 (revised 11/2003)
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Episode 04 - Mamoru's Loneliness! Solaris Unleashes Her Rage

	Two coinciding Kingdoms, ruling side by side. The Moon and Sun forever there 
to shine on the earth with their eternal lights.
	What happens when the sun's light dies? Eclipsed with darkness, evil envelops 
the hearts of all who dwell there and chaos reigns...
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


  Mamoru wandered aimlessly down the street, his mind burning with memories 
of the events from just a few hours earlier. His throat felt tight as he tried to 
swallow. Clamping his eyes shut for a moment, he tried to calm himself. If he 
knew anything about Usagi, it was that her temper was fierce when she was 
jealous. Knowing her so well brought little comfort to him now. Still, he could 
not believe her harsh accusations. "Usako, how could you believe I'd be in love 
with Hogosha-chan? And responsible for Chibi Usa's disappearance..." he 
groaned loudly, pain soaking his ever word.

 Not too far away, there was another in pain. Her steps were heavy as she frantically 
scanned her surroundings. Hogosha walked down an empty street, her body weakening 
with ever step. She knew she had to find an energy source to feed on soon or she would 
be helpless. "If only I could muster enough strength to get home..." she stumbled over her
 feet, falling to her hands and knees, "but I can't."

 Hogosha looked around, desperate to find someone, anyone she could drain of their
energy. She was alone. As she sat on the pavement, her vision blurred, then everything 
blackened.

 Mamoru rounded the corner and was moving toward the entrance to his apartment 
building. From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a large object a few feet away. 
He squinted his eyes trying to see what it was in the darkening surroundings. It appeared 
to be a body. At first he thought the night was playing a trick on him, but as he moved 
closer, he was shocked to realize the slumped figure was Hogosha. Mamoru hesitated 
only a moment before lifting her into his arms. His thoughts turned back to Usagi and 
the tears in her eyes. Mamoru shrugged the guilt away as he carried the limp girl inside.

******************

 It was hours before Hogosha felt herself being pulled back into consciousness. 
The cushiony feeling surrounding her felt too good and she didn't wish to open 
her eyes in fear that she might be hallucinating. Her eyes flew open as she heard 
clinking noises from behind her. Quickly, she took in her situation. She was in a
room, on a soft couch, but where she was remained a mystery. She realized 
suddenly that she was someplace safe, though she couldn't explain why. It was 
comfortable here.

 She turned to find Mamoru emerging from his kitchen carrying a glass filled with 
orange liquid. She was in his place. Hogosha adjusted herself to make room for 
Mamoru to sit down. He placed himself next to her and shoved the glass into her
hands gently. "Here, drink this." 

 She saw he was masking his true feelings with a smile. Suddenly, she felt scared 
and untrusting. "What is it?" she inquired warily, wrinkling her nose at it's citrus smell.

 Mamoru gave her an odd look."Huh? It's orange juice."

 "No thanks."

 She watched his face. It had suddenly become stern, like a scolding parent. "That's
why you passed out, Hogosha-chan. You'll never have any energy if you don't eat right."

 Reluctantly, she took the glass. Hogosha downed the contents as quickly as possible. 
She tried not to taste it, but failed. Hogosha licked the remaining sweet liquid from her 
lips. "Hmm..." she thought to herself."That wasn't so bad. It didn't help though."

 Hogosha stared at Mamoru. Her thoughts continued, "Why don't I just take his 
energy? Drain him dry? It would be so easy. And, then I wouldn't be so weak. 
I can't, though. Tsukino-san would be even more sad if she lost him for good."

"Ahh..." Hogosha screamed at herself. "Why should I care how she feels?"

 Hogosha's inner struggle went on as images of Usagi churned in her head. All the 
times the sweet nuisance had tried to be her friend. The few times they had spent 
together had made her feel warm and welcome. More feelings she couldn't explain 
arose in her breast as she sat silently. Hogosha grabbed her head. She just wanted 
to make everything stop; the uncontrollable cravings, the confusion, everything. She 
heard Mamoru ask if she was alright and looked up into his concerned face. She
realized at that moment he had not been hiding an evil plot behind his smile, but
rather, concern for her. She couldn't hurt him.

Shaking her head, she tried to let him know she was fine. Not wanting reveal her 
motives to Mamoru, Hogosha turned the conversation away from herself. "Have 
you and Tsukino-san made up yet?" she inquired.

 His face turned grim as he answered her, "Usako... No we haven't made up. She 
has suspicions about--"

 "Me and you." Hogosha broke in. "Maybe I should leave. I don't want to get you 
into any more trouble, Mamoru-san."

 "No!" he stated firmly. "You're in no condition to go anywhere right now."

 Hogosha held up her empty container, "Well, then could you please get me some 
more orange juice?"

 Mamoru smiled as he took her glass. While he was in the kitchen, Hogosha slipped 
out the front door. She exited the building as quickly as she could. A few steps out, 
she stopped suddenly. Her gaze traveled to his window. An odd sensation tugged at 
her heart. Hogosha snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a strange gurgling 
noise. "What was that?" she wondered to herself as she held her stomache. There 
was a burning feeling in the pit of her belly. "What's happening? Why is my body 
making those noises?"

 Then Hogosha remembered the juice she had drunk. "Could it have been the 
orange juice?"

 Confounded, Hogosha stood, unmoved for several minutes. She wondered what 
to do until an outrageous idea entered her mind. She hardly dared to hope that it 
would work, but she had to try. Hogosha closed her eyes and concentrated. Warmth 
grew in her belly, spreading throughout the rest of her body. Slowly she looked at 
her clothing. It had worked; she was Solaris once more!

 Solaris saw a young couple taking an evening stroll. The two noticed her at that 
same moment. Wanting to avoid the fiery haired girl, they turned to head in the 
opposite direction. Before they could get far Solaris' hair grabbed them. Their 
energy coursed through her as she lifted the two high in the air.

 Suddenly, Solaris dropped the couple. Her fists clenched in pain. She felt herself 
lose control, but could do nothing to stop it. Her face became cold; a twisted smile 
spread across her lips. The insignia on her forehead eclipsed fully, becoming a black 
circle. Solaris' outfit began to change as well. The gold of her boots and breast plate 
blackened. The gold of her locket and body suit reflected the midnight blue of the 
sky. Blue-gray chiffon trailed down her hips. The three tails of her hair unraveled 
from its odango, dancing about her, wildly.

******************

 Mamoru was filling the glass when a piercing scream filled the room. Immediately 
she felt the need to check on Hogosha. He ran into the living room and was shocked 
to find the room empty. He made a dash for the balcony and as he peered out he 
discover the crazed Solaris with her victims below. Without thinking, he lept over 
the railing and transformed into Tuxedo Kamen as he soared through the air.

******************

 Usagi sat on Makoto's couch, staring off into space. When the tall brunette 
emerged from the kitchen, she was carrying two large cups of tea. She put 
one into Usagi's hands. "Here, Usagi-chan. You need to drink this, it'll calm 
your nerves."

"Hmm... Oh thanks, Mako-chan," she mumbled as she took a sip. "And thanks 
for letting me stay here tonight. I just didn't want to go home. I don't know. 
Maybe it's because I keep expecting Chibi Usa to come and bug me."

 Makoto sat next to Usagi. "I understand," she said, sympathetically. "You just 
need to relax. I thought you would drown out my apartment when you first
got here."

 Usagi gave a little embarassed laugh, then sighed. She was beginning to calm 
down a bit. Both girls jumped when their communicators beeped. Ami's face 
flashed on its screen. "Everyone, Rei-chan and I had a bad feeling. I checked 
it out, and there is an unusual negative amount of activity occurring near 
Mamoru-san's apartment. I think we need get over there and fast."

"Mamo-chan!" Usagi cried out in a worried voice.

"Alright. We'll hurry." Makoto answered. She looked at Usagi. "I guess there 
will be no relaxing tonight."

******************

 Tuxedo Kamen landed next to Solaris. Using his cane, he knocked her to the 
ground and carefully moved closer to her. A lock of hair suddenly shot at him, 
catching him off guard. Solaris chuckled evilly as she rose to her feet. Her hair 
wrapped tighter around his throat, cutting off his air supply. "Let him go!" an
angry voice shouted.

 Five figures appeared in the night. Each stepped forward to make their
introductions.

"I am Sailor Venus!"

"I am Sailor Jupiter!"

"I am Sailor Mars!"

"I am Sailor Mercury!"

"And I am Sailor Moon! In the name of the moon I will punish you! Let 
him go Solaris!"

 Solaris dropped Tuxedo Kamen and turned to greet her opponents. "Hello 
Sailor Soldiers. So glad you could make it to your death!"

 A large gaseous ball formed between Solaris' hands. Its orange light pulsed 
as it grew in strength. Raising the ball high above her head she began to 
shout, "Sun..."

 Jupiter and Venus prepared their counter attacks, "Sparkling Wide... V
enus Love Me..."

"SHADE!" Solaris roared.

"Pressure! Chain!" The two sailor's shouted combining their powers into one.

 Solaris's ball ripped through the sailor soldiers' powers. The girls screamed 
as they were hit. Pain surged in Jupiter and Venus's bodies. Tuxedo Kamen 
weakly threw his rose at Solaris, but she caught it in mid-air. Blood trickled 
from her hand as the rose's thorns cut into her tender flesh. As the blood 
touched the stem, the rose began to glow. The power of her Sun Shade was 
coarsing though it. She threw it towards the stunned sailor soldiers and it hit 
Mercury and Mars, knocking them to the ground. Sailor Moon stared in awe 
at her battle worn friends. "Jupiter! Venus! Mercury! Mars!"

"Sailor Moon, look out!" They tried to warn her, but it was too late.

 Solaris' hair grabbed Sailor Moon, pile-driving her into the sidewalk. An 
iridescent light glowed around her as the dark clothed woman drained the 
energy from her immobilized opponent. Sailor Moon felt herself growing 
weaker with every passing second. She readied herself for the final blow; 
tears fell down her cheeks.

 Solaris looked deep in the girl's eyes. For a moment, she felt that she was 
somehow close to her prey. A feeling of caring fluttered in her chest but 
passed as quickly as it had entered. She looked again at the half-conscious 
girl for what she thought would be the last time. Solaris was about to take 
the last of her energy, but something caught her attention. The brooch on 
Sailor Moon's chest began to glow. Memories flooded into Solaris's head. 
Memories of the park where she, Usagi, and Mamoru had lunched; of the 
brooch Usagi had worn on her outfit. Solaris felt numb, realizing the two 
were the same. "It can't be... but if you are really Tsukino Usagi..."

 Another flash entered her mind, of the day when she first met Mamoru; the 
rose he gave to Usagi in the Game Center Crown. She gaped at the blood on 
her hand. "...then Mamoru-san must be Tuxedo Kamen," Solaris concluded.

 A single lock of hair seized the locket from Sailor Moon's chest. Her outfit 
exploded into a trail of pink ribbons before reverting back into her daily attire.

 Usagi watched as the brooch was placed into Solaris' hand. Weakly, Usagi 
managed to scramble to her feet. Confused more than ever she ran to her 
friends. They gathered around Mercury who had begun accessing her mini 
computer. Her dark blue eyes widened as she read the flashing data. She 
drew a sharp breath. "You're not going to believe this..." 

End Episode 04.